Paintballers rally for Sandy relief

LITTLE SUAMICO - For Manager Eric Kamp, it's just another day at Commando Paintball in Little Suamico.

But it's also the last day this paintball course and 19 others across the country are using the sport of paintball to raise money for Superstorm Sandy relief efforts.

"Kind of a neat way we thought that we could have a good time and raise money for a good cause," said Kamp.

Superstorm Sandy made landfall along the east coast a little more than one month ago. This past week, President Barack Obama proposed $60.4 billion aid package for affected states; about three-quarters of what they requested.

A key player helping those affected by Sandy is the American Red Cross . It's estimated about $110 million will be spent by the disaster agency through December. So as cleanup efforts continue, the American Red Cross is getting help from a sport you might not often think of - paintball.

Made especially for the "Sandy Relief Weekend," $10 from the cases of red, white and blue Empire RPS Marballizer paintballs sold will go to the American Red Cross.

More than $31,000 has been raised through the production of the paint alone.

"I think it's a really great thing, it generates excitement, you get to do something you like to help out people in need,” said Kamp. “It's a win-win for everybody."

Normally, it's no problem to bring your own paintballs for a day of paintballing.

But one of the stipulations of the relief weekend is you can't.

Every ball fired must be the special-made red-white and blue.

Getting ready for her first outing of the day, Brooke Collins has played paintball only once before.

"I thought it was really fun. It's exciting," said a laughing Collins. “You get to shoot people with paint!”

Collins says she's happy to know that the time she will spend out on the playing field will help people hundreds of miles away.

"Definitely,” said Collins of Gillett. “I think it's really a good cause, that they're doing this."

Aaron Smith, 18, the devastation that Sandy caused was shocking.

'It's cool to help them and to be able to help out people that need it,” said Smith, also of Gillett.

On Saturday alone, Commando made more than $1400 for the Red Cross.

As of late November, donors have given nearly $170 million to the American Red Cross for Superstorm Sandy relief efforts. Much of the expenses for relief efforts are for food and shelter.